A flower vendor near the Pike Place Market in Seattle was still selling flowers at night on this January day. These Alstroemeria or Peruvian Lilies hold up so well as cut flowers, that for all I know they might have been actually grown in Peru.

Alstroemeria, or Peruvian Lily, blooming in a bouquet on a Seattle sidewalk

Joining Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, and Saturday Show Off.  Click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see more of the latest pretty pictures. And be sure to download the free “Secrets to Better Flower Photos” at right for easy tips.

While I was in the Seattle Art Museum the other day I took this photo of an empty room I’d never seen. I hope that was OK. Pressed for time, I didn’t get to read anything about it. A recreation of a European room, perhaps from the Renaissance? What a lovely feeling it gave me.

Old room in the Seattle Art Museum

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I think this is macro of a hibiscus flower, but I am not really sure. It must be a cousin if it isn’t a real hibiscus. It was blooming recently in Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory, and I just love the swirl of the petals and the funny center thingie that looks like a robot.

Pink hibiscus flower blooms in the Conservatory in Seattle

Linking to Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, and Saturday Show Off.  Click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see more of my, and I hope your, fave images.

Clerodendrum quadriloculare Verbenceae or “Fireworks Flower” is blooming at Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory, and it’s a great way to start the year off!

Fireworks flower blooms in January at the Volunteer Park Conservatory

Participating in Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Pink Saturday, and Saturday Show Off.  Thanks for visiting here, and don’t forget to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above for more pretty pictures.

Still haven’t gone up on the huge new ferris wheel in Seattle, but here’s a photo of it at dusk I took last week. The LED lighting on it up plays in many patterns. You can see the viaduct, soon to be no more, at the bottom.

Seattle’s Great Wheel in a wintery sunset scene, looking out over Puget Sound

Joining up at Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Pink Saturday, Blue Monday, Thursday Challenge (Clouds), Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Water World Wednesday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you so much for your visit here, and be sure to try a search of something like ferris wheel, just for fun.

I saw the iconic Pike Place Market sign at dusk on the way back to my car from seeing the fabulous Peru exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum yesterday (closing tomorrow; do not miss it!). Don’t you just love this view?

The famous red neon sign at Pike Place Market in Seattle

Visit Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Blue Monday, Thursday Challenge (Clouds), Wordless Wednesday and Saturday Show Off. I so appreciate your visit here!

On my visit to Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory last week, there was this in the entryway:

Red berries and variegated leaves in an airy winter floral arrangement

Participating in Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Ruby Tuesday 2, and Saturday Show Off.  Thanks for visiting here, and don’t forget to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest several pretty pictures.

Here is a macro of a ruffled orange flower I do not know at all. It was blooming in Seattle’s Volunteer Park Conservatory this week. You can see the faint reflections of the glass roof supports in the water droplets.

Orange flower with yellow pointed center blooms in the Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle

Check out Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Monday Mellow Yellows, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Water World Wednesday, Weekend Reflections and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category here, or just click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see a few more images.

I love lichen (pronounced LIKE-en) and was happy to see this pretty piece of it on a wooden fencepost on a walk in the neighborhood.

Silver-green lichen grows on a fencepost in winter

Linking with Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home, Wordless Wednesday and Saturday Show Off.  Thanks for visiting here, and don’t forget to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest several pretty pictures.

An exciting skyscape for you on this first morning of 2014. May this be the very best year of your life so far! Thank you to all the loyal and appreciative readers of this blog. Your unfailingly positive and insightful comments have been one of the true blessings in my life. Yay, blogging!

Dawn breaks over Mt. Rainier in Washington State

Joining Skywatch Friday, Scenic Weekends, Outdoor Wednesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Thursday Challenge (Clouds), Wordless Wednesday and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting here, and don’t forget to click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest several pretty pictures.

Looking through some old photos, I found this one of me and a bouquet from my garden in California, from 1984, almost 30 years ago! I guess my interest in gardening, flowers and photography isn’t going away any time soon.

Roses and white flowers in a bouquet, with the photographer reflected in the background

Please visit My Romantic Home, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Blue Monday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Ruby Tuesday 2, Thursday Challenge (Bright Colors), Straight out of the Camera Sunday,  Mandarin Orange Monday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Weekend Reflections and Saturday Show Off. Click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog above to see the latest photos here. Thanks!

Lynn Sykes, one of the many talented readers of this blog, emailed me recently and asked if she had my permission to paint one of my rose images, Peace rose in the rain. Of course I said yes, and with pleasure. Imagine how thrilled I was to receive an image of her painting! Lynn lives in Langley, BC, Canada, just outside of Vancouver, and has only been painting for about a year. Lynn, you have a wonderful talent, and please keep this blog informed about your art career. Thank you for sharing this with us!

© Lynn Sykes 2013, oil on canvas, 10″ x 8″

I’ve entered Lynn’s beautiful painting in Macro Monday, I Heart Macro Saturday, My Romantic Home, Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Floral Friday, Today’s Flowers, Water World Wednesday, and Saturday Show Off. Thank you for your visit here and please come back soon.